1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of racks or hooks for retaining protective headgear such as helmets with respect to a mounting surface, and, particularly, positively engaging such helmets in place to prevent damage thereto resulting from movement thereof about the interior of the passenger compartment of a moving motor vehicle and possible injury to personnel therein. A specific use for such a bracket assembly is within the passenger compartment of fire trucks where a plurality of heavy helmets are often mounted prior to donning by emergency personnel traveling within the emergency vehicle to an emergency situation such as an active fire. Such helmets are commonly particularly heavy and include various constructions and protruding portions designed to protect a user which can injure firefighters if the helmet becomes loose while traveling in the emergency vehicle. For this reason, the present invention provides a means for preventing the helmet from being jarred by positively engaging it with respect to a mounting location within the fire truck or other emergency to vehicle while at the same time allowing it to be quickly mounted or removed from the bracket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many helmet or headgear mounting hook configurations for various purposes that have been patented such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,891 patented Apr. 18, 1989 to Kenneth A. Williams and assigned to Utopia International on a “Shape Saving Hat Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,980 patented Dec. 11, 1990 to Stephen R. Ersteniuk on a “Protective Helmet For Firefighters”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,508 patented Jun. 16, 1992 to William L. Grilliot et al on a “Firefighter's Helmet Having Head Securing Means”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. 357,842 patented May 2, 1995 to Kenneth O. Cohrs on a “Blocking Hat Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,144 patented May 2, 1995 to David W. Deupree on a “Hat Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,688 patented Apr. 10, 2001 to Henry E. Leslie on a “Firefighter's Glove Holder”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,025 patented Nov. 12, 2002 to Jerry D. Yort et al and assigned to Tayco on a “Firefighting Hood and SCBA Face Mask System”; and United States Patent Publication No. 2003/0188448 published Oct. 9, 2003 to Michael J. Reed on a “Breathable Rack For Storing Helmets And The Like; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,453 patented Aug. 17, 2004 to Franklin B. Floyd, Jr. and assigned to Reliable Constructions Heaters, Inc. on a “Seating Device Having A Helmet Heating Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,273,153 patented Sep. 25, 2007 to Brian M. Kuniyoshi on a “Baseball Bat And Helmet Rack”.